Brooke L. Virginia

Dear Future President

A letter to the next president concerning police violence on citizens

Dear Future President,

             I am writing to you today about a serious problem in our country today. There's been a significant number of police shooting average citizens recently. It's become a huge issue, and needs to be addressed by a government official.

              I understand the need for protection from these officers- however, things have gotten way out of hand. More and more people are being killed by police than being helped by them. Isn't that the point of the badge: to protect us from harm and keep us comfortable to be on the street? I saw on the news a couple of weeks ago that a man had followed the cop's orders as asked, and even though the cop had a dog for protection, shot the man and killed him. This is more than a excessive force; this is an abuse of power.

              John Locke one said, "If the people do not consent to a government, they have the right to alter or overthrow it." I believe that we should follow this, and alter our police force. I don't believe any local officers should be able to carry a firearm. There's no reason for it; if they feel they are in danger they should carry a taser. I also believe that there should be a harsher punishment for cops that shoot without probable cause. So many shootings have gone without justice because it was swept under the rug in fear of bad publicity. Because it's known they can get away with it, more cops are using unnecessary force, and more and more civilians are being scapegoated as criminals to hide it.

              This excessive use of firearms has become a huge issue. If nothing is done, more people will be killed by our"protectors." As a caring citizen, I cannot stand idly by and watch this brawl turn into a full on war. I hope my letter has shed some light on this issue. Have a nice rest of your day.